


Listen

by Ciel_Frances



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Feelings, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, also shiro is great, i never knew tagging was so hard, im not mean, its klangst you guys, lot of crying and hugging, slight mention of adam, theres fluff too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-12
Updated: 2018-08-12
Packaged: 2019-06-26 03:39:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,614
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15655011
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ciel_Frances/pseuds/Ciel_Frances
Summary: Lance didn’t want to call himself a coward. He’d go up against anything to prove otherwise but if you asked him to say goodbye to Keith, you may as well tattoo the word across his forehead because he wasn’t about to.





	Listen

**Author's Note:**

> There was a meeting early in the morning, it discussed of the same mission just like the rest of them. Of course, Lance was there, they were mandatory, although it wasn't him going on this mission, it was Keith. They didn't even appoint him, he asked for it and the worst part is he leaves today.

Lance doesn’t know how long it’s been since he decided to hide off on the roof of the Garrison. What he does know is that it’s no longer morning judging by the hot air ghosting past his form. It’s also hard to miss the sun setting right over the horizon peeking beautifully through some mountains. Lance sighed taking in the view, a warm glow growing each minute over the dry desert. He could almost call the scene bittersweet as a tear rolled down one side of his cheek and then the other rather slowly.

Heavily breathing in the dry air, Lance leaned further against the metal structures but only for a moment as he felt the presence of another next to him. He stiffened, shocked he hadn’t heard approaching footsteps. Squaring his shoulders, Lance sneaked a glance over at Shiro who leaned calmly against the structures. Lance, for one, was glad some of his tears dried onto his skin. No need to explain that to him; he wasn’t ready to confront anyone, not yet. Before he could address his presence, Shiro calmly sighed looking straight ahead onto the desert. Lance’s eyes roamed over Shiro’s form trying to read him but that never worked.

“Have you talked to him at all since this morning’s meeting?”

The question hung in the air for quite a bit. Lance took a shaky breath eyes stinging as he shook his head briefly trying to stifle a sob that dared to crawl up his throat. “Lance…”, Shiro sighed almost in pity as he looked over towards Lance’s shaking fists, concern taking over his features.

“Shiro, I can’t,” he all but whispers slowly, ragged breathes erupting through his nose. Shiro could only stare in shock, he expected Lance to calmly shake off the question. His glaze fell to the ground as he bit his bottom lip in thought. He carefully thought his next choice of words as to prevent Lance from further misery. Shiro moved closer almost touching Lance’s shoulder as he spoke.

“The hardest part is never saying goodbye but accepting it. Make sure it counts or else there’s no point in saying it and you’ll regret it. The last thing you want right now is to miss your chance”. Shiro continued shaking his head, “don’t be like me Lance.” A small gasp escaped Lance as he looked over at Shiro who offered a wavering smile. He took a long breathe before he spoke turning his gaze back to the desert.

“I didn’t go after him that day. I was scared, frustrated and angry. Adam, he cared so much but I wanted to go out and explore. I was capable of so much more than they gave me credit for and I knew I was wrong. I needed to take things slow, but I was tired of that. I loved him Lance, but I let him slip without another word. We could have had a different ending. There’s so much I wanted to say, I still do but it’s too late…”, Shiro whispered before adding, “…for me, Lance, not for you.” Lance stared at the ground as a few scattered tears made their way down near his shoes.

“Keith might not show it, but he’s scared. He feels it too Lance.” Shaking his head, Lance glanced towards the lone ship, the pristine white contrasting against the sandy desert and Keith standing next to it. Lance huffed. “Keith would never Shiro… He’d laugh.” He wrapped his arms around his frame, staring at Keith almost in sadness.  
“I can’t live knowing I ruined something so special and valuable. I will not live in that world. I’ll be a bigger joke to him, this was it”, he breathed. Shiro sighed, Lance was hurting so much it pained him.

“After the meeting this morning, he came to me questioning if I knew about your whereabouts. He went all around asking and searching for you.” Lance shook his hands as they began to sweat. “No, you probably misheard him. That’s not Keith, he wouldn’t just— “

“But he _did_ Lance”, he interrupted. “I won’t speak on his behalf, but you should know he was planned to leave several hours ago.” Lance rubbed at his eyes, wiping away the wet trails. “Please Lance, if I had the opportunity to go back and say anything I would in a heartbeat. Even a proper goodbye would have meant everything.” Shiro whispered the last part faintly as he blinked slowly.

Lance knew Shiro rarely talked about his past relationship but the fact that he did made Lance feel special and warm. A new wave of tears formed as he threw himself onto Shiro causing him to stumble back in surprise before hugging back. At that moment Lance let it all go and sobbed onto his shoulder. Shiro rubbed Lance’s back as his uniform soaked up every tear he created.

“Thank you Shiro”, he cried in-between gasps of air and all Shiro could do was continue rubbing his back in fondness.

“Anytime Lance.” Shiro whispered.

* * *

 

Lance stumbled as he rushed down the stairs running into multiple people most of who began shouting and murmuring as he turned each corner.

“Is that Lance?”

“Where has he been?”

“Keith must have left already.”

Lance heard each one but paid them no mind as he nearly ran into another wall. He rushed through the hallways giving quiet pardons at those he ran into until he skidding to a stop throwing open the doors leading out onto the open desert before breaking into a sprint. His breathing ragged with no rhythm as his legs wobbled threatening to give up from under him. Which only made him run faster. The shuttle looked closer and closer with every step until he was only a few steps away from Keith as he placed his hands on his knees coughing through his tears. Lance slowly raised his head locking eyes onto Keith’s.

He looked awful. No, that was an understatement. Keith looked horrible. That’s not how he looked like this morning. Lance searched his form, confused. His hair was disheveled, posture slouched, face pale and those eyes. They were undeniably red and puffy. Lance’s face fell as a guilty pang ringed throughout his heart at the site.

“Lance…”, Keith whispered voice raspy and almost disbelieving. He wanted to speak, but all he could muster was a weak squeak. His throat burned like hell and hurt with every breath.

“I-I-I”, he shook his head approvingly. Keith’s body shook once violently, before whispering again, “Lance”. Shaking his head, he roughly answered quietly before stepping forward. “It’s me, Keith.” Stumbling back abruptly as Keith all but threw himself around him, clinging onto his uniform. Lance sturdy his footing, wrapping his arms around his back and bringing him closer. He heard him sniffing into his neck as a hand slid up and grabbed onto his hair, tugging at it lightly.

“Where have you been?” He questioned harshly, breath hot on Lance’s ear. Lance didn’t know how to answer that without it sounding selfish. In truth, he was hiding. He didn’t want Keith to go, so not watching him leave is like it never happened, right? Instead he hugged him tighter, hiding his face in his shoulder.

“I search the whole area, the goddamn building and not one single person knew where you were.” He gasped out, his nails digging into his hair, grabbing hold of another chunk as Lance buried his head deeper into his neck and breathing in. _I’m sorry. Please, please don’t leave me_ , he wanted to scream.

It was almost like Keith heard him as he stepped back and admired his face before cradling his cheeks, his thumbs gently rubbing away the stray tears. _I love you!_ Lance screamed once again as Keith searched his face. Lance offered a small smile as Keith place both his hands on his shoulders and rested his forehead on his chest. Lance’s heart was beating rapidly, and all Keith found was reassurance. He weakly smiled against him, sighing.

“Thank you for being my friend”, Keith whispered sliding his hands down his shoulders into Lance’s hands gripping them tightly. Lance grasped Keith’s hands as he raised them towards his lips, kissing both his knuckles causing Keith to look up into his eyes. “Yeah”, he breathed, his smile wavering, “we make a pretty good team.”  
Keith slightly shook his head, grunting as he let go and stepped back his eyes glossy as ever. He stared for a moment longer, scanning Lance before he turned around, heading towards the entry of his ship. Lance yelled at himself to move, _I not saying goodbye to you_. Raising a shaky hand, Lance reached out for him.

“Hey, uh, you have room for one other person in there?” He asked softly stopping Keith in his tracks as he turned around, offering the weakest smile, “no.”  
Lance’s face fell just for a moment before Keith continued, “only for a co-pilot.” His smile twitching slightly at its corner. Lance slouched his shoulders, face relaxing as he grinned widely releasing the air he trapped unknowingly. Keith extended his hand, “come on.” Lance walked to it and gripped it tight, “yeah’, he breathed.  
Before he stepped completely into the ship, Lance searched the roof of the Garrison. His eyes landing on Shiro’s faint form shooting him a thumb’s up and then climbing the rest of the way in. The ship lighting up with the rest of the stars.

* * *

 

Shiro squinted at Lance’s form and broke into a smile as he relaxed his shoulders sighing. “Finally”, he breathed, closing his eyes until they snapped open, _how was he going to explain this to his parents?_

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't intend for this story to get that sad or intense, I swear it was supposed to be really sweet and happy. This is my very first story so tell me how I did. All gestures are welcomed and thanks for reading. I'm also on tumblr @cielfrances.


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